We aren't. But saying something is "higher order" within the context of evolutionary biology doesn't mean anything.
That would depend on the definition.
How do you define "higher order"? "Heirarchy"?
There may not be a heirarchy
within evolutionary biology, but there is a heirarchy of sorts among what has
resulted from what is called evolution.
There are roles -and the roles of some are supported by the roles of others.
A life form might be considered to be at the "top of the food chain" while alive, but is recycled -supporting the bottom of the food cycle, if you will, when no longer alive.
All life forms are essentially food for others -live and die as individuals (which allows for adaptation over generations) -but that cycle supports something of a higher order. It supports what we call "evolution" -and what we call evolution supports the production of increasingly higher orders of life.
A heirarchy in human terms is based on authority to consciously make decisions, and the primary decision-maker -of the highest order/highest within the order -is supported by those of lower orders. However, the primary decision-maker does well to decide to consider the lower orders and support them.
That system then supports some
thing of an even higher order -which is the ability to act together to accomplish great things which could not otherwise be accomplished.
Such a heirarchy is not absolutely necessary for the survival of an individual, but it is necessary for accomplishing certain things, and can make a group more fit to survive by pooling resources, acting together, etc....
A ruler is nothing without subjects, and a ruler can be of benefit to his subjects.
One cannot have an accurate view of evolutionary biology without acknowledging that it supports something of a higher order than itself.
There is a heirarchy among animals -among life forms -but it is not based on conscious decision on their part -for the most part -though it does include some conscious decisions.
Those animals which do make conscious decision are of a higher order than those which do not, but they are not fully conscious of the fact that they are making conscious decisions -and humans, who are conscious of their consciousness/aware of their awareness are of the highest order among earthy life forms.
Humans have the greatest power of decision and action -to the extent that they can make decisions which affect all other life forms. Man is capable of greater feats than other life forms, but is supported by the roles of those other life forms which accomplish things consciously or unconsciously.
An individual human can become food for the lower orders, but "man" is still of the highest order, which is supported by that cycle overall.
Man could not accomplish what man does without the support of other life forms, and the same is true for the other life forms. Lower orders of life support higher orders -regardless of the fact that it doesn't really matter after the individual dies.
The process which supports what we call evolution is cyclical, but what we call evolution has produced a heirarchy -higher orders of life based on and supported by lower orders of life.
Man now has consciousness of conscious decision, and can be of benefit to his "subjects" which support him -or neglect them -even destroying them, and in turn himself.
It can be said that man -in the absence of life forms of a higher order than man -is now the ruler of evolution.
Man is able to consider what might otherwise become of "evolution" -of all that is earthy life -and even prevent it, change it, destroy it....
Man is of a higher order because man can, for example, become aware of an extinction event before it happens and prevent it -or at least minimize adverse effects.
So -the higher order can make all species -life itself -more fit to and likely to survive.
Also consider that individual people do not
necessarily need a ruler in order to "survive" -as such.
Similarly, lower orders of earthly life do not need man in order to survive -as such.
Ironically, higher orders of earthly life do need the lower orders in order to survive.
However, the higher orders can allow lower orders to survive greater things -to be less vulnerable.
